


Where the Flowers Grow

by sekyan



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: All the Champions barring Link are dead, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Depression, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Gen, Hylian Goddesses, Link Suppresses Literally Everything, Link needs a hug, PTSD, Post-Calamity, Prayer, Sacred Power, They both have some issues, Zelda Likes to Have Company, Zelda Needs a Hug, journal/diary format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-10-28 10:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17785592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sekyan/pseuds/sekyan
Summary: "We fought to free it, now we fight to build it."Consequences land heavily on the newly-appointed Queen and her Knight. They can only hope that the aftermath of the Calamity will not throw Hyrule into chaos once again.





	1. Chapter 1

It’s hard to believe it’s only been two days. 

He’s only been gone for two days. 

Feels much longer though. As quiet as he is, the castle is… silent without him. He was a constant presence, one that you would gloss over in the first scan of the room. His gaze was watchful, yet he faded into the background like a painting or furniture. He was a decoration at first glance, but a warrior at the second. 

Two days. 

I dare not leave my quarters, but I must as my queenly duty. I cannot bear the Sanctum, not just yet. I wish he was here, to inspire courage that the old demon is gone, but there are new ones in its place. Loneliness. Fear. Draining at my patience and power, not as much as the old beast did, but they are beasts enough to hinder my daily action. 

Servants and maids trek around the halls, their feet the only sound in these halls. I can recognize their gaits and the weight of their footsteps. It’s out of instinct, and sometimes it happens without my control. My head maid, Awele, has a quiet and purposeful stride. It’s relieving to hear, much better than the swaying walk of a Lizalfos. I must remind myself that I am not trapped by Ganon any longer. 

But it feels I am trapped by my responsibilities instead. 

I get deja vu from a century ago, instead I am a princess and not a queen. Praying and showing my devotion for all to see, but now I show my devotion to the kingdom. I suppose my old habits have wore down to a mere memory of a routine now, but it feels hauntingly normal to do. 

I try to direct my attention to my problems and allies instead of him. I try to organize and bury myself in work, trying not to reach out with my power and watch him. He deserves privacy, and he can handle himself. He’s a powerful warrior, if not the most powerful in the land. I pride myself and my kingdom on what he’s accomplished, truly, it is a tale to behold. 

As much as I like to distract myself, it doesn’t change the fact that I wish to seek him out and watch him. Whether he may be in the farthest wilds of Akkala, the deep cold of Hebra, or the feverishly warm seas and lands of Faron, it is a relief from reality to watch him run, fight and ride. 

I wonder if he visits the Beasts. Does he eliminate the few monster camps that are left? Help travellers? I wonder often, even as I work, if he’s in good health. A nervous tic from the past century, it seems. An urgent prickling in the back of my mind to ensure he is still alive. I wonder if this is just a remnant of my 100 years alone, or if my ancestors did this also. Did they watch their heroes fight? Is this an urge from my predecessors? Is this something unique to me and my case, or did they all worry like mother hens? 

Am I overreacting? 

I find reprieve from the constant questions in watching. Taking my mind to faraway places, places that remind me of sweet memories. 

I worry often. 

But I have learned the lesson of hope. Hope, faith, and trust. I need not trouble myself over the wellbeing of the hero every second of my day. He would not like it of me to neglect myself over him. 

Besides, there are pressing matters I need to attend to. Salvaging of ruins, Guardians and relics, analyzing the Beasts, keeping a close eye on the construction of Castle Town and the people who choose to live within, what to do with the Yiga, meeting with Purah, Robbie and Impa, the work piles up. I have faith in him and I to rebuild my-- no, our kingdom. 

We fought to free it, now we fight to build it. 

\- Queen Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule


	2. Chapter 2

I finally did it. 

 

Vah Ruta reactivated. It’s as majestic and powerful as I remember! I am not its Champion, so it will not obey my verbal commands, but it obeys the Sheikah Slate. If it (the Sheikah Slate) can control the beast, who knows what else it could control? Perhaps it can be rigged up to a Guardian, meant to track and protect a certain individual, or a whole group. Does it rely on sight alone, or does it have another way to do so? Link tells me that they cannot hear or do not rely on audible cues to track. That would make sense, given they have no obvious way of hearing. I believe their sight must be incredibly sensitive to make up for lack of audio. 

 

Ruta has a call, it seems. Whenever I move its long appendage (known as its trunk, according to old books and research, courtesy of Robbie and Purah), it has a howling, screaming call that reminds me of a battle cry. It scared me the first time I ever heard it, and Link grinned and told me that Ruta did that to him too. “Medoh is the only other with a loud call. The other two sound like they’re grumbling.” 

 

I can’t fathom how to move Medoh (according to Link, you can only tilt its wings, and I don’t want to break the pillar holding up Medoh and drop a Divine Beast on Rito Village), so it will be stuck up there for the time being. Both Naboris and Rudania aren’t hurting anything on their perches, so they will not need to be moved. Perhaps a temporary Champion would solve that? Link recommends several different people for those roles, and I hope that they have some idea of how to pilot a Beast of such magnitude. 

 

I met Prince Sidon today. I can see why Link took a liking to him, he will fill the silences with amiable talk, is very uplifting, and appreciates all the good in people. His father, King Dorephan, has been incredibly kind and supportive of me. His advisor, Muzu, thanked me for the last century of relative peace. He looked rather guilty, however. I wonder what happened? 

 

King Dorephan has agreed to help me rebuild Hyrule, for “old time’s sake.” I am delighted to have an ally on my side, truth be hold. Even if the older Zora seem guilty or stiff around me, I know I have an ally in the Zora Royals. 

 

When the meeting with King Dorephan concluded, I got to see what I truly wanted to. The Domain is impressive, but I wanted to see one thing. 

 

Mipha’s statue. 

 

It looks much like her, but frozen and preserved. It saddens me. She did not deserve her fate, and yet marched towards it. Willingly? Who can say? I am glad the tragedy is over, incredibly so, but I wish that… that I was not left behind. Left behind by time. People can hardly believe their eyes at the very sight of me. I am a legend now, a tale of an age past. A bedtime story for young children to grow up, and yearn for the skills and power of objects such as the Triforce. 

 

It has taken time, but the blue of Sheikah surrounding the castle has convinced the last of the people that the Calamity no longer hangs over their heads like a storm cloud. They are suspicious and wary of I, which is understandable. The Sheikah have offered me their support, but the people are slow to trust and quick to fight. Volatile to the grasp of rule and being common people, reined and tamed. 

 

I fear rebellion. 

 

I fear the Yiga. 

 

Both of these can and likely will tear the weak, young bud of Hyrule from the soil and cast it into flames. They can choose to leave Hyrule in the dirt, powerless and dying, and create a kingdom of their own. They can choose to fight and free themselves from rule before it even can take root. 

 

Volatile times, indeed. I appreciate every victory and triumph to the fullest. My luck may not hold and I must be cautious of my allies and assets. Who can say what will happen next? Predictability died in the Calamity. I live a life of danger. Danger from outside. Possibly from within. 

 

Truly, if the people deem Hyrule unfit to be their country, then I will be the first target and in grave danger. The price will be heavy on my head. The waters of this Domain are wild and untamable, your only hope is to keep your head above water lest you drown. The same goes for Hyrule. Its potential is indomitable. I can only hope to keep everyone afloat, lest we drown in the history of this land, just a forgotten kingdom in a forgotten land. 

 

The pressure rises. 

 

I will rise to meet it. 

 

\- Queen Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

It’s been unusually quiet lately. 

The castle is devoid of any monsters, finally, but even the wilds haven’t been brimming with monsters lately. I suppose this is because of Ganon being vanquished, but even in the calmest of days, it was never so still. 

This is the kind of stillness from the Temple of Time, or at least what’s left of it. A morose stillness. Reminds me of stagnant water. 

And stagnant water is home to leeches and filth. No life, just parasites and mud. 

I have trained myself to be alert at all times. Track every presence in the vicinity. I have learned to always be on my guard. The snapping of a twig could just be a careless goat or boar, or the footsteps of a Yiga assassin in the shadows. 

At least when it’s game, that’s food. 

An assassin means trouble and death. 

I seek out the noise now. Noise means life. Noise is familiar. To lose myself in the heat and sweat of battle reminds me of days long past and days just gone. Every camp I destroy is one less that could kill someone else. 

I am the hero of these lands. I must take responsibility for my actions. Put the people’s safety above all else. I watch and observe the villages, towns and settlements, seeking out threats to eradicate. I do what I do out of necessity. 

Even if it means limping home with arrows in my leg and back. Even if that means cleaning wounds to avoid infection from rusty weapons. Even if it means enduring the throb of cracked ribs. 

Every wound I suffer is one less for someone else. I am meant to be selfless and strong. I will uphold my role. There is no room for error now, like years ago. Another century of restorative sleep will leave me weak and powerless and will save no lives. I cannot afford silly mistakes or anything of that kind.

I fight. I heal. I repeat. 

Until it is safe. 

My job was only halfway done with Ganon. I must now protect the remainders until an end meets me. I will only accept victory now. There is no room for error. 

My mistakes cannot be repeated. 

My failures must stay in the past. 

I will fight. 

Lives must be saved and preserved above all costs. 

\- Captain Link of the Royal Knights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, three chapters in the span of a day or two. that's a first. my old wattpad readers would be jealous.


	4. Chapter 4

My time of grieving was the past century, but now I wonder if that sufficed. Was it enough for me, to mourn restless souls for decades? 

Even now, in the aftermath, I still weep for them. I almost called Urbosa’s name when I heard the confident footsteps of another Gerudo in the castle. I could of sworn I saw Revali’s figure weaving around Medoh’s figure. The yells of Gorons and clatter of stone and tools speaks of Daruk. Mipha’s voice follows me everywhere in the daily bustle of the Domain. 

It isn’t them, as much as I wish so. They have passed on, duties fulfilled and souls at ease. I wish I could be at ease too, but the wound it seems I have only bound shut has not been treated or soothed with gauze and medicine. I thought I had accepted it in Ganon’s grasp, but it is painfully obvious that I have not. 

I owe them (and myself) closure at least. I visit their homes and offer their people peace and knowledge. Kaneli, the Rito Elder, thought much of Revali. Imagine his surprise when I told him that Revali had been trapped in Medoh! Rito Village is a homely and warm place, one with a proud and graceful countenance coupled with the warmth and security of a mother’s feathers to her young.

What I would give for just one last time. 

My visit to Death Mountain was… a shock. To the Goron Boss specifically. “You Hylians live that long?” he exclaimed. He’s quite gruff, but as for all Gorons I’ve had the pleasure to meet, he doesn’t sweat the small stuff and walks through life with strut of confidence. 

The youth I met, Yunobo, is actually a descendant of Daruk. It seems that the gifts of the Champions are passed down through blood, even if some of those powers are lost to their races. He’s confident with a few insecurities, even if he’s not as much as a warrior as Daruk, he has a smart, capable head on his shoulders. 

Rudania is just as I remember. Of all the Beasts, Rudania is a favorite of mine. Its jointed legs allow for a wide range of motion, almost like Vah Naboris’ legs, but it has a surprisingly powerful grip in its feet, which I credit to jointed toes. Most of Rudania’s power lies in its tail, so I have reason to believe that Rudania’s extremities are some of the most complex of all its counterparts. 

Medoh’s own feet are like Rudania’s, but they are not quite as complex, since they are not meant to adapt to different grips. Rudania uses a combination of pressing and squeezing to be able to walk on vertical surfaces, Medoh simply squeezes on its perch. 

Naboris has no toes to speak of, and Ruta’s feet are suited to standing or swimming, but not much back-and-forth motion. They’re all perfectly suited to their environments, and as much as I would like to study it and compare it to records of geography back then, I must focus on their mechanisms, but first and foremost getting Hyrule on its feet. 

Perhaps a promise of research and understanding these Beasts will help things, but it’s doubtful any Hylian able to do so would come within a hundred feet of a Guardian. I do not know if my reassurances and guarantees, the word of a princess who spent the last century trapped within a castle, will be enough to coax them along. 

My thoughts run in near circles, just scribblings of worries. I try to muster some hope and direction. I won’t be stuck helpless like I was before the Calamity. This time, I can chose my direction and I will not be running in circles in a prayer routine. 

I choose purpose.

I choose Hyrule. 

I choose life. 

Queen Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah i went a little in-depth with the research and rambled a little. what can i say? the beasts are amazing.


End file.
